[Lumpalard]

I'll preface this by saying I'm completely inexperienced with accidents despite being in my late 40s. I've never had one. I was at a Dunelm car park in the last space before joining the the exit. So I left the space and immediately turned left. It was at around 10:30 am today. I looked but to be honest the other driver came from my right [where Homebase used to be]. I couldn't have been going even at 1mph. The other car is an old crap Vauxhall. Mine is an old crap Prius. The guy went mad. He said I'd damaged his car. I took a timestamped photo. His car was very dirty and I'd obviously touched it but not enough to cause damage that a clean and polish couldn't fix. He said he didn't want to go through insurance. I said I am not sure I caused the damage [how do I know it wasn't damaged before]. All it needs to my non experienced eyes is a buff. I think he was going fast [no-one can really speed] out from the Homebase car park and didn't look. I accept he did seem to come out of nowhere so maybe I didn't look sufficiently either. He then said "my insurance will go up'. And he'd take it to garage about 50 minutes drive away from our town as he takes cash which is bizarre as when he gave me his address there are garages less than 10 mins away. I took a timestamped photo of the 'damage' but I assume he has to prove that this alleged damage was caused by my going less than 1mph as I was turning out of the carpark. To be clear turning left just joins the the 'exit' to the eventual junction to join the main road; that eventual junction is about a quarter of a mile away. I hope that makes sense. I'd appreciate any insight, any questions I need to ask. I don't want to be the victim of a scam and at the same time I don't want the endless palaver of dealing with insurance. Pls let me know if any other information is required. I'd be glad to provide it. Thank you in advance.

[TC1474]

Your situation is not uncommon. I have lost count of the number of crashes like yours I have dealt with over the years.

First and foremost, do not hand over any money and settle privately, you are leaving yourself open to all sorts of issues and threats, especially as this suggests that the third party (the other driver) would not be adverse to making a fraudulent claim to up the level of damage compensation.

The fact that you took time stamped photo's is great. Did you take any of the driver or vehicle occupants as well? I only ask because these types tend to produce phantom injured passengers out of thin air.

Anyway, do not give in to this individual, notify your insurers and let them deal with it. Tell them that you suspect that the claimant is trying to be fraudulent and this can be substantiated with the photo's you took, and suggest t your insurers that this claim should be flagged as a potential cash for crash scam.

I suspect that once it goes to your insurers, the third party will get cold feet and lose his bottle if what you say about the condition of his vehicle is correct.

Either way, notify your insurers, let them deal with it and avoid all the hassle from your perspective, but in any case once you have told your insurers nothing further may come from it but you have covered your backside.

[Lumpalard]

Thank you so much for your comprehensive reply. To give the guy the benefit of the doubt he was older than me and we didn't have a heated chat. I did apologise [because a prang did occur and I'm British so saying sorry is like breathing. Lol] but I am sceptical that I was the cause of that damage. My car didn't have any damage to it and eventually he did mumble 'it's largely cosmetic'. But I will definitely go through the insurance and alert them of my concerns the damage was pre-existing. I was too thick to think of taking pics of the owner, and there were no passengers. Just him and me. I'm very grateful for you for your reply. I've also learnt a lesson about taking more photos [I.e. of owner, confirming no other passenger etc.] Wishing you a happy Christmas and new year 😊